USA TODAY Sports today learned from sources close to the fighters that both athletes have verbally agreed to the matchup and bout agreements are expected to be finalized shortly.

UFC 156 takes place Feb. 2 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FX and Facebook. The main event is a featherweight title fight between champion Jose Aldo and former lightweight champ Frankie Edgar.

Green vs. Volkmann is expected to take place on the evening’s preliminary card, but UFC executives have yet to make an official announcement.

A Southern California native, Green was relegated to curtain-jerking status in his final two Strikeforce appearances. Still, he carries a four-fight win streak into his UFC debut. The 26-year-old could be unbeaten in his past six fights were it not for a contentious split-decision loss to Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante in July 2011.

Green has been fighting professionally since 2008, and three of his five career losses have come to fighters who would go on to fight in the UFC.

Meanwhile, Volkmann is a former three-time All-American wrestler at the University of Minnesota who is 5-1 in his past six UFC appearances.

Fighting professionally since 2007, Volkmann has made news on a few occasions for his political criticisms of President Barack Obama. His wrestling-based style hasn’t always been well-received by MMA fans, but his winning streak is currently one of the best in the UFC’s 155-pound division.

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